


Rough Affection

by HSavinien



Series: Around the Table [3]
Category: Arthurian Mythology
Genre: Knights - Freeform, M/M, People Watching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-04-14
Updated: 2009-04-14
Packaged: 2017-11-26 18:30:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/653165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HSavinien/pseuds/HSavinien
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dinadan observes the other knights of Arthur's court.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rough Affection

Dinadan spent most of his time watching other people.  It was the thing to do when you were a knight who’d as lief sing a song as fight a battle.  He particularly watched the other knights, in and out of King Arthur’s presence, in the company of ladies, servants, each other.  Most had a series of public faces – brash, lordly, loud, flattering, courtly...  Some were cruel when their peers were absent.  Some were kinder.  He liked them the most, sometimes, even when they were not close companions of his.

Sir Cai had Din’s utmost respect from the moment that Camelot’s stern taskmaster stole puppies from a greyhound bitch who’d mated with some sort of shaggy shepherd’s dog.  The huntmaster ordered them drowned, contemptuously, but while the kennel boys were busy elsewhere, Cai had scooped the pups into a sack and taken them to the smithy with a bit of coin ‘for their keep.’  The smith’s wife had taken a fever that summer and died and the children were six and eight.  Din smiled to himself.  Sir Cai was a better man than many.

Watching Cai led him to watching Sir Bedwyr, who was louder and friendlier than his caustic-tongued cousin.  He was good-natured with everyone from the lowest servant to the highest of visiting royalty, treating them with open smiles and rough courtesy that always made Arthur smile.  The only person who appeared to bear the brunt of Bedwyr’s ire was Cai.  They exchanged verbal jabs and jeers whenever they met, but their friendship was evident to anyone with an eye for it.  They insulted each others’ habits, manner, dress, and prowess on the field, Bedwyr grinning and Cai’s eyes sparking, calling up slurs that would make an Irishman blush.  It would inevitably terminate in roars of laughter and pounding on the back from Bedwyr and the flash of teeth and a cuff around his cousin’s ear from Cai.  Then they’d embrace and set off again at the next opportunity.

When Sir Cai was pitched off his horse by an unfortunate stumble at full gallop, Bedwyr took his friend home across his own pommel and stood by the chirurgeon voicing dire threats until Cai came back to consciousness and called him a lumbering booby.  Bedwyr had a tendency toward too much ale some nights.  Dinadan had twice seen Cai sling Bedwyr over his shoulder and hoist him back to his rooms to rest until the knight ceased singing raucous songs and subsided into murmurs.

They reminded Din of his own friendships.  He wondered occasionally whether they shared kisses along with the friendly insults and with the same rough affection.  He thought they probably did.


End file.
